Breaking the Word

  "Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces…

 "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets. "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. (Mt 7:6,12-14)

Jesus gives, in this passage, a golden rule. A rule that sums up all the laws and the prophets. This rule is found both in Jewish and non-Jewish literature and it is found both positively and negatively. But what underlies in Jesus’ teaching is that here we find the love of the Father as the motivating force. 

In olden days, many cities had wider gates where people can enter as a crowd or some vehicle, if there were, also could enter. But there were also narrow gates where in man could enter one by one. In the wider gates people can enter with the flow of the crowd. The crowd would push you through, at times, without your wanting also.

In the narrow gates you have to want to get in. You have to choose to get in. You can not be carried away. Wanting to follow Jesus is like that. You have to make a choice and you have to be motivated and you will have to do the action. You will not be acted upon. 

  "Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye. (Mt 7:1-5)

Jesus warns sternly against condemning others. Jesus is referring to the judgments and condemnations that occur within ordinary lives, as people set themselves up as moral guardians and critics of one another. He is referring to the self righteous people who see everyone else as wrong except themselves. We are sure that he had a particular target in mind. They were the scribes and Pharisees.

Jesus questions the sense of moralism that exists. A moralism that looks at everything/everybody with a sense of morals and judgements. Jesus warns against the attitude of judging others. This does not mean we should not have any standard for life.

Judging people or look down on others for moral failures is a temptation to play God. Only God can judge people. This idea can be clearly seen in the letter of Paul to the Romans (Ch 14). Anyone trying to judge others is playing God and playing God is ‘to act’. And this is hypocrisy.